Safety guard rail for highways



Sept. 18, 1934. R L, BROWN SAFETY GUARD RAIL FOR HIGHWAYS Filed Nov. 14. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l SAFETY GUARD RAIL FOR HIGHWAYS Filed Nov. 14. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invenlor .720 Z. 32 02022 itatenteci Sept. 18, 1%34 SAFETY GUARD RAKE FQR EGAYS Roy L. Brown, Sedalia, Mo. Application November M, 1931, Serial No. 575,091

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a safety guard rail for highways, the general object of the invention being to provide a yieldable guard rail for preventing automobiles and other vehicles leaving the road on curves or other portions of the road, and to greatly reduce the chances of the vehicle being damaged, or the guard rail itself being damaged or injured when a vehicle strikes the same.

Another object of the invention is to so construct and arrange the parts that the rail proper is supported a distance from the intermediate posts by bumper springs, which not only reduces the shock of a vehicle striking the rail, but also acts to prevent a vehicle striking the post, and

to slidably connect the ends of the rail with the end of the posts so that the rail can have a certain amount of movement without interference from the posts, with means for adjusting the 0 tension on the rail when desired or necessary.

A further object of the invention is to make the rail in sections with means whereby the sections can be easily and quickly connected together, and sections can be added when it is desired to 5 make the entire device of greater length.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:-

Figure 1 is an elevation of a guard device constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through a portion of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view of one end of one of the sections of the rail.

In these views, the numeral 1 indicates the intermediate posts for supporting the rail, and the numeral 1' the end posts for supporting the ends of the rail. These posts can be made of any 0 suitable material in any suitable shape; but in the drawings the posts are shown of circular shape in cross section. The rail A is formed of a number of sections, each section having its upper and lower edges bent or rolled as shown at 2, which not only acts to strengthen the sections but also avoids sharp edges which may injure a person when thrown against the same.

The end of each section is also bent to form a casing 3 which extends at right angles from the section, and a bar 4 is placed in the casing.

In connecting the sections together, bolts, or the like are passed thru the casings and through the bars, the parts being provided with holes 5 for receiving the fastening means. Loop-shaped springs 6 connect the rail to the intermediate posts 1 and I prefer to place the one end of each spring 6 between the meeting ends of twoof the rail sections as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so that the same bolts or fastening means which connect the casings 3 together, also passing through the end of the spring between the casing. The opposite end of each spring is fastened to the post by bolts 7.

A chain 8 is connected to a post 1 and to the connecting means between the sections as shown in Fig. 3 to limit the outward movement of the rail or the distance the rail is moved away from the post. These chains do not interfere with the movement of the rail.

Each end of the rail A is fastened to an end post 1' by a yoke 9 and each post 1' is recessed to receive the rail as shown in Fig. 4, and a rest or seat 10 is placed between the lower edge of the rail and the lower limb of the bolt as also shown in Fig. 4. A bracket 11 is fastened to each end of the rail A and each bracket is connected by a threaded member 12 to a threaded socket 13 carried by a brace 14 which is suitably connected to an anchor 15 secured in the ground. Thus by adjusting the connections 12 and 13, the tension of the rail A can be adjusted when necessary or desired.

A reflector such as shown at 16 is placed on the end posts which acts as a warning that one is approaching the curve or other dangerous place.

From the foregoing it will be seen that if a vehicle should strike the guard rail A, the same will give, due to the resiliency of the springs 6, and the sliding connection between the ends of .the rail and end posts, and thus the vehicle will be prevented from running off the road and without serious damage to either the vehicle or its occupants, or to the guard device.

While I prefer to set'the springs 6 with their openings directed in the same direction as the traffic flow, it will ofcourse be understood that it is not necessary, but this preferred arrangement of the springs makes them more resilient when the device is struck by a vehicle.

When desired the spring bumpers 6 can be 10 omitted and the guard rail connected directly to the posts. In this case the guard rail would be not as resilient as when the bumpers are used.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the inventi-on will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims. t

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:-

1. A road guard comprising a row of posts, a guard rail, means for slidably supporting the ends of the rail directly from the end posts, means for limiting inward sliding movement of said ends of the rail, a substantially U-shaped spring horizontally arranged and having the extremity of one limb connected to each intermediate post and the extremity of the other limb connected to an intermediate part of the rail, and flexible means for limiting rebound movement of the spring.

2. A road guard comprising a row of posts, a guard rail, a vertically arranged bracket connected to each end post and through which an end of the rail passes for sliding movement therein, a substantially U-shaped spring horizontally arranged and having the extremity of one limb connected to each intermediate post and the extermity of the other limb connected to an intermediate part of the rail, flexible means for limiting rebound movement of the spring, and adjustable brace means anchored in the ground and connected with the ends of the rail.

3. A road guard comprising a row of posts, a guard rail, means for slidably supporting the ends of the rail directly from the end posts,

means for limiting inward sliding movement of.

said ends of the rail, a substantially U-shaped spring horizontally arranged and having the extermity of one limb connected to each intermediate post and the extremity of the other limb connected to an intermediate part of the rail.

I ROY L. BROWN. 

